Water sprinkler

ABSTRACT

An oscillating tube is mounted in a frame and connected to a hose. The tube is oscillated by a water motor which drives a shaft carrying a plurality of cams for different patterns of water coverage. A wheel is connected to a carrier which in turn is secured to the tube and the wheel can be slid along a pin to engage any one of the fixed cams thus varying the pattern readily and easily and eliminating all linkage, crankshafts, connecting rods and the like normally present.

United States Patent [191 lngham Jan. 22, 1974 WATER SPRINKLER [76]Inventor: Lawrence Allister Ingham, Box 112,

Lanigan, Saskatchewan, Canada [22] Filed: Oct. 31, 1972 [21] Appl. N0.:302,554

[52] US. Cl. 239/236, 239/242 [51] Int. Cl B05b 3/08 [58] Field ofSearch 239/242, 236, 240

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,063,646 11/1962 Ballard239/242 2,999,643 /1961 Kennedy 239/236 v Primary ExaminerLloyd L. KingAttorney, Agent, or Firm-Stanley G. Ade

[ 5 7] ABSTRACT An oscillating tube is mounted in a frame and connectedto a hose. The tube is oscillated by a water motor which drives a shaftcarrying a plurality of cams for different patterns of water coverage. Awheel is connected to a carrier which in turn is secured to the tube andthe wheel can be slid along a pin to engage any one of the fixed camsthus varying the pattern readily and easily and eliminating all linkage,crankshafts, connecting rods and the like normally present.

4 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures FATE-MED JAN 2 2 I974 SHEEI 1 8F 2 6 HORIZ.DIST. FROM SPRINKLER FIG.

FIG. 6

lb 6 HORIZ. DIST. FROM SPRINKLER PAFE'NFED JAN 2 2 i974 SHEEI 2 BF 2FIG. 2

FIG. 4

WATER SPRINKLER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates tonew and useful improvements in water sprinklers, particularly the typeknown as oscillating water sprinklers.

Conventionally such sprinklers are relatively complicated inasmuch asthey include a crankshaft and connecting rod assembly together withlinkage to enable the user to vary the arc through which the oscillatingtube rotates. However, it is somewhat difficult to obtain accurate oruniform water coverage by this means.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention overcomes thesedisadvantages by providing an arcuate perforated tube oscillating withina framework and being oscillated by a wheel engageable with any one of aselection of cams mounted on a cam shaft driven by the water motor.

This means that the arc through which the tube oscillates can becontrolled very accurately by the shaping of the cam profile.

The principal object and essence of the invention is therefore toprovide a device of the character herewithin described which includes aplurality of cams any one of which is selectively engageable by a wheelwhich in turn is operatively secured to the tube for oscillating same.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the characterherewithin described which enables the water coverage to be accuratelycontrolled by the shaping of the cam profiles.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of thecharacter herewithin described in which it is extremely easy to changethe coverage merely by sliding the wheel along a shaft so that it mayengage any one of the cam profiles.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of thecharacter herewithin described which is extremely simple inconstruction, has relatively few moving parts and is otherwise wellsuited to the purpose for which it is designed.

With the foregoing objects in view, and other such objects andadvantages as will become apparent to those skilled in the art to whichthis invention relates as this specification proceeds, my inventionconsists essentially in the arrangement and construction of parts all ashereinafter more particularly described, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings in which:

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the sprinkler.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the sprinkler assembly.

FIG. 3 is a section along the line 33 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a section along the line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a section along the line 5-5 of FIG. 6 but showing only thehead end of the framework.

FIG. 6 is an end elevation from the head end of the sprinkler.

FIGS 7 to 10 show representative shapes of the four cams, said drawingsbeing schematic.

FIG. 11 shows a graph of coverage by conventional sprinklers.

FIG. 12 shows a graph of coverage obtained by the present invention.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate correspondingparts in the different figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Proceeding therefore to describe the invention indetail, a main framework is provided generally designated 10. This mainframework consists of a pair of spaced and parallel runner members 11having upturned ends 12 with the other ends curving upwardly and over toform the end arch configuration 13 all of which is relativelyconventional in construction.

A main housing or head end 14 is secured between the runners 11 adjacentthe ends 12 by means of screws 15 and this main housing consists of ahollow based portion 16 within which a conventional water motor 17 ismounted. This water motor is shown schematically as it is not believednecessary to describe the details of operation thereof.

A hose connection l8is formed through the wall of the portion 16 bywhich means the sprinkler assembly may be attached to a source of waterunder pressure in the usual way.

The main housing 14 narrows in cross section above the water motor 17 asindicated by reference character 19 and then extends substantiallyhorizontally and terminates in a down turned portion 20, the horizontalportion 21 being shown in cross section in FIG. 4.

The portion 20 terminates in a bearing assembly 22 for an arcuatelycurved perforated tube 23A which is journalled for oscillation betweenthe bearing assembly 22 on one end and between a further bearingassembly 23 fored at the underside of the arch portion 13 of the plate24 which in turn carries a bearing 23 within whichone end of the arcuatetube 23A is journalled for rotation.

The bearing assembly 22 is shown in detail in FIG. 3 and it will benoted that the end 25 of the arcuate tube 23A is belled outwardly and aplate 26 together with a gasket 27 is secured by screws 28 to the end ofthe portion 22 of the housing 14. An O-ring 29 engages between thebelled end 25 of the tube and the gasket 27 thus giving a bearingassembly which enables the tube to oscillate but which prevents waterfrom leaking thereby.

A cam shaft 30 is driven by the water motor 17 and extends from theportion 16 of the housing 14 and a plurality of cam plates 31 aresecured to this cam shaft in spaced and parallel relationship as clearlyshown in FIG. 2.

These cam plates control oscillation of the tube 23A to satisfy varyingconditions of water coverage which may be desired and FIGS. 7, 8, 9 and10 show cam plates for these different conditions being marked for fullcoverage in FIG. 7, partial coverage in FIG. 8, left coverage only inFIG. 9 and right coverage only for FIG 10. The profiles of these camswill of course be dependent upon the exact type of coverage required andthe profiles shown are illustrative only.

For clarity the cams in FIGS. 7 to 10 are identified as 31A, 31B, 31Cand 31D.

Means are provided to operatively connect the relevant cam to thearcuately curved tube 23A in order to oscillate same and this means iscollectively designated 32.

It consists of a bracket assembly 33 which extends around the end 34 ofthe arcuate tube and is secured thereto. A disc type manipulable portion35 extends from the upper end of this bracket and a right angled portion34' extends inwardly towards the housing 14 and carries a drive shaft 35fixed thereto and lying substantially spaced and parallel to the abovementioned cam shaft 30 as clearly shown in drawings.

A wheel 36 is mounted freely for rotation upon the drive shaft 35 and isprovided with a grooved periphery 37 and this grooved periphery isadapted to engage the profile of any one of the cams mounted on the camshaft 30.

Therefore rotation of the cam shaft with the cam engaged by the wheelcauses the arcuate arm or tube 23A to oscillate and this oscillation iscontrolled by the profile of the cam engaged by the wheel 36.

A coiled torsion spring 38 with one end 39 fixed to the arched portion13 and the other end 40 being fixed to the arcuate tube 23A. This coilspring is designed to bias the tube 23A in a direction opposite to arrow41 (FIG. 1) thus biassing the wheel 36 into engagement with the profileof the cam engaged thereby and maintaining contact between the wheel andthe profile of the cam at all times.

when it is desired to change cams, the disc like manipulative portion 35is pressed and thus rotates the tube 23A in the direction of arrow 41against pressure of spring 38 thus raising the wheel 36 clear of thecams so that the wheel can be slid along the shaft 35 and reengaged withany desired cam.

It is therefore relatively simple to change the pattern of coverage ofthe arcuate tube 23A which of course is perforated as at 42 in the usualway.

It will therefore be seen that there are relatively few moving parts andno linkage which can upset the pattern of coverage due to looseness andwear and the like.

It will be appreciated that it is impossible to obtain uniform watercoverage by conventional means due to the inherent geometry ofcrankshaft-connecting rod arrangements. Consequently the water coverageof conventional oscillating sprinklers is as shown in FIG. 11, with theresult that outer areas are flooded while inner areas are stillrelatively dry.

The present invention allows complete choice of water pattern simply bydesign of cam profile, which allows uniform patterns as shown in FIG. 12to be obtained.

Since various modifications can be made in my invention as hereinabovedescribed, and many apparently widely different embodiments of same madewithin the spirit and scope of the claims without departing from suchspirit and scope, it is intended that all matter contained in theaccompanying specification shall be interpreted as illustrative only andnot in a limiting sense.

What l claim as my invention is:

l. A water sprinkler comprising in combination a main framework, anarcuate perforated tube journalled for oscillation in said framework,means connecting said tube to a source of water under pressure, a watermotor in said framework, a cam shaft rotatable by said water motor, atleast one cam on said shaft rotatable therewith, and means operativelyconnecting said cam to said tube whereby said tube oscillates through anare controlled by the profile of said cam, said means operativelyconnecting said cam to said tube including a bracket secured to saidtube adjacent one end thereof, a drive shaft secured to said bracket andextending therefrom substantially spaced and parallel to said cam shaft,a grooved wheel journalled for rotation on said drive shaft and adaptedto engage with the profile of said cam.

2. The water sprinkler according to claim 1 which includes a pluralityof cams of different profiles mounted on said cam shaft, said meansoperatively connecting said cams to said tube being selectivelyengageable with the profiles of any one of said cams.

3. The water sprinkler according to claim 1 which includes spring meansco-operating between said framework and said tube to bias said meansoperatively connecting said cam to said tube, into contact with saidcam.

4. The water sprinkler according to ciaim 2 which includes spring meansco-operating between said framework and said tube to bias said meansoperatively connecting said cam to said tube, into contact with said

1. A water sprinkler comprising in combination a main framework, anarcuate perforated tube journalled for oscillation in said framework,means connecting said tube to a source of water under pressure, a watermotor in said framework, a cam shaft rotatable by said water motor, atleast one cam on said shaft rotatable therewith, and means operativelyconnecting said cam to said tube whereby said tube oscillates through anarc controlled by the profile of said cam, said means operativelyconnecting said cam to said tube including a bracket secured to saidtube adjacent one end thereof, a drive shaft secured to said bracket andextending therefrom substantially spaced and parallel to said cam shaft,a grooved wheel journalled for rotation on said drive shaft and adaptedto engage with the profile of said cam.
 2. The water sprinkler accordingto claim 1 which includes a plurality of cams of different profilesmounted on said cam shaft, said means operatively connecting said camsto said tube being selectively engageable with the profiles of any oneof said cams.
 3. The water sprinkler according to claim 1 which includesspring means co-operating between said framework and said tube to biassaid means operatively connecting said cam to said tube, into contactwith said cam.
 4. The water sprinkler according to claim 2 whichincludes spring means co-operating between said framework and said tubeto bias said means operatively connecting said cam to said tube, intocontact with said cam.